The men and women of SmackDown Live performed at the eighth annual Money in the Bank event. Here are the highs and lows that occurred all throughout the show:
At the conclusion of Sunday’s Money in the Bank event, fans certainly had plenty to talk about. There were many moments scattered throughout the show, some entertaining, while others can be viewed as controversial. Whether or not this event delivered on the hype is still to be determined, but the show itself was enjoyable to watch.
Over the course of three hours (plus the pre-show), the talent of SmackDown Live took part in several exciting contests. We witnessed the singles debut of Lana, which took place in the second of three championship matches. Beyond the in-ring action, compelling backstage interviews and even a surprise arrival to the Blue Brand kept fans engaged.
Most importantly, we now know which two superstars are in possession of the MiTB briefcases. Carmella has received the honor of being the first female to ever win the briefcase in the night’s opening contest. In the main event, Baron Corbin made history as well, securing a guaranteed title shot in the process. As a result of their success, both Carmella and Corbin seemed destined for stardom. They have the method to do so, the question is will they deliver?
Going forward, how will the events which transpired impact SmackDown Live? On a larger scale, will there be larger implications for the entire company? Depending on how WWE capitalizes on their newfound buzz, the answer could be a resounding yes.
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So without further ado, here are the highs and lows from the 2017 installment of Money in the Bank.
The Ravishing Russian Shows Promise
Heading into Money in the Bank, one of the most prominent concerns centered around Lana. Not only was she set to compete in her first singles match, but it was also a championship contest. That amount of pressure could get to anyone, especially someone who has limited in-ring experience. Despite this, the Ravishing Russian entered the arena last night full of confidence. It was hard to see why beforehand, however, her abilities are much clearer now.
Although her skills weren’t that polished, Lana showed tremendous potential throughout the match. Keeping up with the SmackDown Live Women’s Champion isn’t an easy task, as Naomi is easily one of the most athletic females in WWE today. Still, Lana was able to do so, and in the process earned the respect of fans. The live crowd was thoroughly invested in what they saw, and they became even more interested when Carmella arrived.
For the briefest of moments, it seemed like Carmella was going to cash in the briefcase. If she had done so, she would’ve been the third superstar to cash-in the same night they won the briefcase. Thus far, only Dean Ambrose and Kane have acted upon such an immediate opportunity, with both winning gold as a result. Carmella could’ve joined that list, and in doing so become the first woman to cash-in the briefcase.
Instead, Carmella chose to simply observe the ending of the battle between Lana and Naomi. The challenger put a great deal of effort into gaining the title, and even appeared close to doing so. Naomi managed to fight back though, earning the win via submission. Because of this, Lana seems to have left the title scene; at least for the time being.
Tag Team Championship Match Delivers
After the controversy surrounding the opening match (more on that in a bit), WWE needed the following contest to deliver in a big way. In their pay-per-view debut for the Blue Brand, the trio known as the New Day looked to win tag team gold. To do so, they had to defeat the reigning champions; The Usos.
Since winning the gold from American Alpha, no team has been able to slow down the Usos. Recently, the duo was able to defeat Breezango to continue their reign as champions. When the New Day arrived to the Blue Brand, they wasted little time in educating the trio. That path led us to last night, and fans were expecting to see a classic.
Throughout the match, both teams put everything they had into producing a memorable exchange. By the end of the contest, they had accomplished that and much more. The live crowd was hanging on every move, especially during the closing moments. Back and forth action was rampant, with each man proving why they belong inside a WWE ring.
Right when it appeared as though new champions were being crowned, the Usos decided to retreat through the arena. Leaving their challengers in the ring, they decided to live to fight another day. It might sound like a disappointing end, but it fit the heel persona the Usos present perfectly.
Thanks to the count-out finish, you can bet that the feud between these teams if far from over. A rematch is destined to occur, with it likely taking place sooner rather than later. WWE knows the value this rivalry brings to the tag division, which as of this writing is in desperate need of depth. Hopefully, this is an issue that’s fixed in the near future.
Mr. Money in the Bank
In the main event of Money in the Bank, six men battled for the right to win the coveted briefcase. At first, an attack by Baron Corbin gave the impression that only five of these men were going to be able to participate. During his usually mesmerizing entrance, Shinsuke Nakamura was assaulted. The assailant was none other than the Lone Wolf, who seemingly knocked his competition out of the contest.
Miraculously, Nakamura was able to enter the match later on in the night. He went on to establish a considerable amount of offense, taking out the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn in the process. This left it down to him and AJ Styles, or at least it appeared that way. As the two fought on the top of the ladder, Corbin emerged from the wreckage and sent both men crashing to the mat. The danger removed, the Lone Wolf climbed the ladder and attained his place in history.
Now that he’s secured a shot at the WWE Championship, what awaits Corbin in the interim? If last night was any indication, a feud with Nakamura may be on the horizon. The King of Strong Style is going to be eager for revenge, and the Lone Wolf is always down for a fight. These two squaring off is a match which could help elevate their star-power on the main roster, plus it makes sense from a storyline perspective.
Should WWE go a different route, it’s hard to predict who would be a prime opponent for either superstar. Owens and Styles will probably resume their feud, while Zayn and Ziggler are without any sort of direction. Besides these men, SmackDown Live is rather short on high-level talent.
A Man Attains the Female Briefcase
Without a doubt, one of the most heavily hyped matches going into Money in the Bank was the first female ladder match for the briefcase. Becky Lynch, Carmella, Charlotte Flair, Natalya, and Tamina Snuka were all chosen to compete in the contest. As an added bonus, it was later revealed that the females athletes were opening up the show.
Due to all of these different factors, fans expected this match to deliver. It was certainly able to do so, at least until the closing moments. One by one, the superstars took one another out of the equation. Eventually, the final two women in the match were Carmella and Lynch. A powerbomb at the hands of Lynch took her opponent out of the equation, and so she began to climb up the ladder. Upon reaching the time, she was launched into the ropes thanks to interference from James Ellsworth.
Even though Ellsworth had bought Carmella valuable time to climb, she was unable to move. The Princess of Staten Island had simply absorbed too much damage. So what does any kind and considerate man do? Climb up the ladder himself and drop the briefcase down to her.
In doing so, Ellsworth took away much of the spotlight which was meant for the women. Yes, he drew heat, but not the kind that creates buzz. He generated that causes fans to look away in disgust. If that was the intention all along, then what was the point of allowing the female athletes to partake in the match?
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What moments do you consider to be the best from the event? Are there any that deserve to be labeled as bad? Let us know in the comments below.